
T. S. DENISCW €l company 

PUBLISHERS CHIg4o 



DENISON'S ACTING PLAYS 

Partial List of Successful and Popular Plays. Large Catalogue Free. 
Price 15c each, Postpaid, Unless Different Price Is Given 



DRAMAS, COMEDIES, 
ENTERTAINMENTS, Etc. 

M. F. 

Aaron Boggs, Freshman, 3 

acts, 2V2 hrs (25c) 8 8 

Abbu San of Old Japan, 2 acts, 

2 hrs (25c) 15 

After the Game, 2 acts, 1 >^ 

hrs. (25c) 1 9 

1 All a Mistake, 3 acts, 2 hrs. 

(25c) 4 4 

All for the Cause, 1 act, 1^/4 

hrs (25c) 10 

All on Account of Polly, 3 acts, 

' 21/4 hrs. (25c) 6 10 

And Home Came Ted, 3 acts, 

2^ hrs (35c) 6 6 

Arizona Cowboy, 4 acts, 2^4 

hrs (25c) 7 5 

As a Woman Thinketb, 3 acts, 

IVz hrs (25c) 9 7 

At the End of the Rainbow, 3 

acts, 2^ hrs (25c) 6 14 

Boy Scout Hero, 2 acts, IM hrs. 

(25c) .17 

Boy Scouts' Good Turn, 3 acts, 

134 hrs (25c) 16 2 

Brookdale Farm, 4 acts, 2^4 . 

hrs (25c) 7 3 

Brother Josiah, 3 acts, 2 hrs. 

(25c) 7 4 

Busy Liar, 3 acts, 2J4 h. C25c) 7 4 
Call of the Colors, 2 acts, \V2 

hrs (25c) 4 10 

Call of Wohelo, 3 acts, 1|4 

hrs (25c) 10 

Camouflage of Shirley, 3 acts, 

2J4 hrs (35c) 8 10 

Civil Service, 3 ac^s, 2i/i hrs. 

(25c) 6 5 

College ..Town, 3 acts, 2V^ 

hrs (25c) 9 8 

Danger Signal, 2 acts, 2 hrs.. 7 4 
Daughter of the Desert, 4 

acts, 2^4 hrs (25c) 6 4 

Deacon Dubbs, 3 acts, 2^4 hrs. 

(25c) 5 5 

Deacon Entangled, 3 acts, 2 hrs. 

(25c) 6 4 

Down in Dixie, 4 acts, IV2 

hrs (25c) 8 4 

Dream That Came True, 3 

acts, 2^ hrs (25c) 6 13 

Editor-in-Chief, 1 hr....(25c) 10 
Enchanted Wood, l.}4 h.(35c).Optnl. 
Everyyouth, 3 acts, iVz h. (25c) 7^ 6 
Face at the Window, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 4 4 

Fifty-Fifty, 3 acts, 2 hrs. (35c) 6 8 
Fun on the Podunk Limited, 

IVz hrs (25c) 9 14 



Her Honor, the Mayor, 3 acts, 

2 hrs. (25c) 3 5 

High School Freshman, 3 acts, 

2 hrs (25c) 12 

Indian Days, I'hr (50c) 5 2 

In Plum Valley, 4 acts, 2% 

hrs • (25c) 6 4 

Jayville Junction, li^ hrs.(25c) 14 17 
Kicked Out of College, 3 acts, 

214 hrs (25c) 10 9 

Kingdom of Heart's Content, 3 

acts, 2^ hrs (25c) 6 12 

Lady of the Library, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (2Sc) 5 10 

Laughing Cure, 2 acts, IK hrs. 

(25c) 4 5 

Lighthouse Nan, 3 acts, 2^ 

hrs. (25c) 5 4 

Little Buckshot, 3 acts, 2^4 hrs. 

(25c) 7 4 

Little Clodhopper, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 3 4 

ATirandy's Minstrels (25c) Optnl. 

Mrs. Tubbs Does Her Bit, 3 

acts, 214 hrs (2'5c) 7 7 

Mrs. Tubbs of Shantytown, 3 

acts, 21/4 hrs (25c) 4 7 

Old Fashioned Mother, 3 acts, 

214 hrs (25c) 6 6 

Old Maid's Club, P/^ hrs. (25c) 2 16 
Old Oaken Bucket, 4 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 8 6 

Old School at Hick'ry Holler, 

Wa hrs (25c) 12 9 

On the Little Big Horn, 4 acts, 

21/2 hrs (25c) 10 4 

Poor Married Man, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (25e) 4 4 

Prairie Rose, 4 acts, 2^ h.(25c) 7 4 

Rummage Sale, 50 min 4 10 

Rustic Romeo, 2 acts, 2^ 

hrs (25c) 10 12 

Safety First, 3 acts, 

214 hrs (25c) 5 5 

Savageland, 2 acts, 2^/3 hrs. (50c) 5 5 
School Ma'am, 4 acts, 1^ hrs. 6 5 
Sewing for the Heathen, 40 min. 9 
Southern Cinderella, 3 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 7 

Spark of Life, 3 acts, 

2 hrs (25g) 4 4 

Spell of the Image, 3 acts, 2^/^ 

hrs , (25c)10 10 

Star Bright, 3 a'cts, 2^^ h. (25c) 6 5 
Teacher, Kin I Go Home? 2 

scenes, 35 min 7 3 

Those Dreadful Twins, 3 acts, 

2 hrs :..(25c) 6 4 

Thread of Destiny, 3 acts, 2^^ 

hrs (25c) 9 16 

Tonv. the Convict, 5 acts, 2^4 

hrs (25c) 7 4 



! T.S.DENISON & COMPANY, Publishers,154W.RandolphSt., Chicago 



America in the Making 



A ONE- ACT PATRIOTIC PLAY 

IN 

TEN EPISODES 



BY 

RAGNA B. ESKIL. 

AUTHOR OF 

Aunt Harriet's Night Out," "Betty's and Bobby's Christmas, 
"Lottie Sees It Through," and "Who's the Boss?" 




Copyright, 1918, by Ragna B. Eskil 
Moving Picture Rights Reserved 



CHICAGO . 

T. S. DENISON & COMPANY 
Publishers 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 



CHARACTERS. 

Mary The Interpreter 

^^^^^ I Property Managers 

Indian Boy 
Indian Girl 

Priscilla. . . I Puritans 

Jonathan. . . j 

J^^^ ! Virginians 

Elizabeth . . ) 

Mandy A Colored Girl 

Henrik '. . .A Dutch Boy from New Amsterdam 

Lars A Szvedish Boy from Delaware 

Ruth A Quaker Maid from Philadelphia 

Russell Ruth's Brother 

Gretchen. . . I ^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^.^^^ 

Kathleen . . . j -^ 

Ro™::;;: } f.w.b.,. 

Immigrants. . . .English, Scotch, Norwegian, Danish, 
Belgian, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Aus- 
trian, Hungarian, Serbian, Greek, Turkish, Rus- 
sian, Syrian, Chinese and Japanese. 

Edith Red Cross Helper 

lyj^y f War Gardeners k 

Frank Boy Scout 

Additional Boy Scouts, Red Cross Helpers and War 

Gardeners if desired 

Dancing Group , 

Gutter Tom A Poor Boy 

Opportunity :. ; '. 

Liberty ) " ^ , _, 

Uncle Sam f ^^^^^ ^''"''' 

Note— If Mary's part seems too long for the player to memorize, 
she may read it almost as effectively. 

2 
DC! (9 J9(g ©Ci,D 50591 

^- ^ \ TNP96-00729Q 



I 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 
Time — The Present. 



Scene — Ameriea. 



Time of Playing — About One Hour. 



COSTUMES. 

Mary — White dress and shoes ; starry Liberty cap ; wide 
red, white and blue sash draped over shoulder and tied un- 
der arm. 

Grace — White dress and shoes ; red, white and blue Lib- 
erty cap, and a red, white and blue band over her shoulder 
and pinned under her arm. 

John — Ordinary suit, with a band and cap like Grace's. 

Indian Boy and Girl — In Indian costume. 

Priscilla — The customary Puritan maid's dress and bon- 
net, without the cape. 

Jonathan — The customary Puritan boy's suit. 

Jane and Elizabeth — Flowered cotton dresses, made in 
a modified colonial style. Their hair is rather fancifully 
dressed. 

Mandy — A calico pinafore. She either wears a kinky 
wig or else has her head tied with a kerchief. 

Henrik — A simple Dutch costume, like any illustration 
in a school historv, or in Knickerbocker's History of New 
York. 

Lars — Wears a short cutaway coat and bright colored 
waistcoat and round felt hat. 

Ruth — Regulation gray Quaker dress, with kerchief and 
bonnet. 

Russell — Not quite so much of a Quaker as Ruth, he 
wears a simple colonial suit and three-cornered hat. 



4 AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

Gretciien and Kathleen — Wear dark, plainly made 
cotton dresses, with the gathered skirt sewed on to a rather 
tight fitting waist. Their hair is in braids. 

Daniel and Roger — Dressed like the pictures of Daniel 
Roone in any school history. 

All the immigrants in typically suggestive costumes. 

Frank — Regulation Boy Scout uniform. 

Edith — Red Cross head dress and apron. 

David — Overalls and straw hat. 

Lucy — Overalls also ; or large apron and sun hat. 

Dancers — In any festive looking costumes. 

Tom — In ragged coat and cap, afterwards changing to 
new coat and cap. 

Opportunity — College gown and cap, with a crossed 
band on which the letters "Opportunity" are printed. 

Liberty and Uncle Sam — In the regulation costumes. 



PROPERTIES. 

One large American flag ; six chairs ; two small tables ; 
six painted "rocks" ; gavel for ]\Iary ; basket and knitting 
for Priscilla ; axe and fishing net for Jonathan ; banjo or 
guitar for Mandy ; fur pelts for Henrik ; clothes basket 
for Gretchen and Kathleen ; hunting bags and muskets 
for Daniel and Roger; spades, picks, bundles, musical in- 
struments, etc., for immigrants ; hoe and rake for David 
and Lucy; bandages for Edith ; envelope for Frank; mar- 
bles for Tom ; book, tablet, and pencil and Tom^s new coat 
and cap for Opportunity ; and the most beautiful Ameri- 
can flag one can get for Liberty and Uncle Sam. 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 



As an overture, a medley of patriotic tunes is played. 
Then, just before the curtain rises, the children from be- 
hind the scenes sing ''America." As the song ends the cur- 
tain goes up. 

Scene: The stage has entrances to the rear right and 
left. A large American flag hangs straight on the rear 
wall. At the lozver left are a small table and chair (tele- 
phone set if possible) for Mary. There is a gavel on the 
table. Against the right wall are tzvo small chairs for Grace 
and John. Three chairs, a light, plain table and five or six 
canvas covered boxes, painted to resemble large stones, are 
placed against the left wall. 

At the rise of the curtain, Mary, Grace and John are 
seated in their respective places. Mary is dressed all in 
white, zvith a wide red, white and blue scarf over her right 
shoulder and tied in streamers under her left arm. She 
zvears a starry Liberty cap. Grace, too, is dressed in zvhite 
and wears a red, white and blue Liberty cap. Both she and 
John have scarfs over their right shoulders also, but theirs 
are narrozver and shorter and simply cross without stream- 
ers tinder their left arms. 

Mary {rising and crossing to the center of the stage. 
She pauses until all is quiet before she speaks). Friends, 
tonight you have come to see our little play of what has gone 
into the making of Amerca, and what America means to us. 
We are going to play it for you very, very simply. Our 
actors in the different episodes will enact their parts at the 
back of the stage, and all the properties they will have are 
the table and chairs and those- stones you see there. And 
as for the stage, you perceive it is very bare ; so we must 
ask you to help us by using your imaginations to paint in 
the rest of the pictures. It's one decoration is — The 
Flag! {She says this last very reverently and Grace and 

5 



6 AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

John rise at the same moment, and all three, as if acting on 
impulse, salute the flag solemnly.) 

Grace {to the audience). It is beautiful, isn't it? 

John. And it's worth fighting for and keeping true and 
free and clean. 

Mary {with a smile of introduction tozvard Grace and 
John). These are the two property managers, who will 
change the scenery between the acts. Although we believe 
the episodes will explain themselves pretty much, I am to 
act as interpreter for anything that isn't quite clear. {With 
a little hozv. ) And now that you know who we are, the play 
will begin. We hope you will like it. {She steps a few 
paces to the left before continuing.) The first episode is in 
New England, shortly after the Pilgrims and Puritans have 
landed. {While she is saying this sentence, Grace and 
John have placed the ''rocks" at the hack to suggest an irreg- 
ular, rock-strczvn path. Then they quickly take their seats.) 
You must imagine this to be the rocky path of a Massa- 
chusetts seacoast town, and the characters you will see are 
Priscilla and Jonathan. 

But first there will be a little by-play between two In- 
dians. They have read the writing on the wall that America 
is to be a white man's land. 

She goes to her little table and seating herself, strike^ 
tzvice zvith the gavel. An Indian girl and boy come in from 
the right, skulking along the path. In pantomime the girl 
shozvs she zvould stay, but the boy pulls her on, urging that 
they must flee from an impending peril. The other finally 
acquiesces, and both go out in great dejection, to the left. 

Mary. It is sad, is it not, to feel that the land of one's 
ancestors is to become the land of another race. But it 
was destined that the white man and not the red man should 
rule in this vast new territory. 

However, we are waiting for Priscilla and Jonathan. 

She gives the signal again. Immediately Priscilla comes 
in, carrying a basket over her arm and busily knitting on a 
sock. Jonathan, carrying an axe and a fish net, comes 
running after. Both are in characteristic Puritan costume. 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 7 

Jonathan. Oh, Priscilla, hasten not so fast! 

Priscilla (stopping and turning around). Oh, Jonathan! 
I did not hear you coming ! I am on my way to gather wild 
apples. 

Jonathan. Ah, for the winter pies? 

Priscilla. These are to be for Thanksgiving. 

Jonathan. How much more precious ! 

Priscilla. And thou? Art on thy way to the fishing 
grounds? 

Jonathan. Only for a little while. I shall help father 
set the nets and then I must assist Shipmaster Barker with 
the boat building, for we must have our ship launched by 
the first day of the new month, 

Priscilla (pouting). The men of America work all the 
time ! 

Jonathan. We needs must in this new land. But, Pris- 
cilla, art not sorry thou camest? 

Priscilla. Ah, no. Think how happy we are here, and 
how free. 

Jonathan. And what brave, cheerful women we have. 
But, Priscilla, let me carry your basket. 

Priscilla. Yes, we must not tarry any longer. 

(They go out to the left.) 

Mary (coming to the front). Now we shall pass to the 
south — to Virginia. This was the place where the English 
settlers really came first. It was a gentler climate and the 
people grew tobacco and corn principally. 

(While she has been speaking, John and Grace have 
removed the ''rocks" and have placed tzvo chairs at an angle 
facing each other, and the third chair between them but 
farther back. They take their places after each scene 
shifting.) 

Mary (from her seat at the table). This is an arbor on 
the estate of a rich Virginia planter, and now you shall meet 
his two daughters, Jane and Elizabeth, and later Mandy. 

She gives the signal zvith the gavel. Jane and Eliza- 
beth^ in pretty colonial dresses, come in from the right with 
their arms around each other. 



8 AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

Jane. Oh, let's sit down. I'm tired. 

Elizabeth. It is rather a fatiguing journey so far up 
the river to father's other tobacco plantation, even if we 
do go by boat. 

Jane. Do you know that father thinks he may have to 
get another plantation still farther up the river in the spring? 
This one here is already wearing out. 

Elizabeth. Dear me, isn't the country settling quickly! 
But a few years ago the people were huddled at the river's 
mouth. Now they are hundreds of miles upstream. 

Jane. And how glad every one is to be here. 

Elizabeth. Why shouldn't they be? But where is 
Mandy? She promised to be with us in a moment to sing 
the new song we've been practicing. 

Jane (looking towards the right). Oh, here she comes 
now. 

Mandy comes in carrying a banjo or guitar. If the 
girl taking this part does not play either instrument, then 
the accompaniment can be played on the piano. Mandy is 
made up very black and zvears a printed pinafore. 

Mandy {cheerfully and grinning). Heah Ah am, missy! 

Elizabeth {eagerly). Have you really learned all the 
words from your mammy, Mandy? 

Mandy {grinning again). Oh, la, yes, Ah'll sing it fo' 
you all. 

Jane. And we'll join in where we can. 

{yi Ai^iDY seats herself on the third chair and sings an 
old-time darky song. The others join in the chorus or 
hum. For an encore, Mandy may sing ''Way Down Upon 
De Suzuanee Ribber'' or any other plantation melody. If 
Mandy can dance, then she may nozv do so, Jane saving 
''Nozv dance for us, Mandy.'' When she has finished all 
three go out to the right and Grace and John remove the 
chairs and take their ozvn places.) 

Mary {from her seat, smiling). You see the begin- 
ning of our folk songs has already started. {Coming to 
the front.) We have had the north and south of our At- 
lantic colonies, and now, friends, we shall see the middle 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING . < 

colonies — the good old state of Pennsylvania, which Wil- 
liam Penn and the Quakers made famous, and New York, 
to which Henry Hudson, the Dutch explorer, and later 
Dutch settlers came, and then the little state of Delaware, 
where many Swedes settled, hoping they could establish a 
new Sweden in this new world. But both the Hollanders 
and the Swedes had to give over their claims to England, 
and thus in 1664 we have the whole Atlantic coast from 
Canada to Florida under English rule, to remain so until 
the colonies declared their independence in 1776. 

(Going back to her seat.) But, you notice, the property 
managers have left no scenery for this episode. That is be- 
cause they couldn't very well, for this is a street in the 
thriving village of New Amsterdam, which the English 
have just rechristened New York. But please imagine that 
there are quaint Dutch houses on either side of the street, 
and although the streets are quite dumpy and bumpy in the 
other parts of the village, this particular spot is laid with 
cobble stones. And the characters you will meet are young 
Henrik Knickerbocker of New York, young Lars Larson 
from Delaware, who has come to spend a few days with 
Henrik, and pretty Quakeress Ruth from Philadelphia, who 
has come to New York with her father. 

Mary knocks zvith the gavel and Henrik, in a Dutch 
costume, and Lars, in a Szvedish costume, come in from 
the left. Henrik carries one or two fur pelts. 

Henrik {stopping and holding up pelts). With the 
money I get from these, I shall send to Holland for one of 
those new printed books. 

Lars (zvith a sigh). You people in New Amsterdam — • 
you make so much money. 

Henrik. Well, we sell much furs. 

Ruth, in Quaker costume, comes in from the right, 
zvalking very slowly, and zmth her hands primly folded over 
each other. She circles dozim around past Henrik and 
Lars and can't help overhearing the follozving conversation, 
and for all her apparent demur eness she takes quite a lively 
interest in it. 



10 . AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

Lars. I wish we made more of a business buying furs 
from the Indians, too, for they are our very good friends, 
but in Delaware we plant and we trade with the West In- 
dies and with Europe. 

Henrik (boastingly). We trade in New Amsterdam, 
too. New Amsterdam has the most ships of any town in 
America. 

Ruth (zmth flashing eyes and forgetting her decorum). 
New Amsterdam has not ! Philadelphia has the most ships 
of any city in America ! 

(Henrik and Lars, who had not noticed Ruth's ap- 
proach, are so astounded at the apparition that they simply 
stand and gape.) 

Ruth {stamping her foot). And besides father says 
there isn't any New Amsterdam any longer. It's New York 
now since the English won it. 

Henrik {finding his tongue). Do you live in Philadel- 
phia? 

Ruth {emphatically). Yes. I wouldn't be in New York 
if I weren't just visiting here with father, who has come on 
business ! 

Lars. I wish I lived in Philadelphia, too. 

Ruth {not so arrogantly) . \\niere dost thou live? 

Lars {sighing). In Delaware. 

Ruth. Oh, in what used to be New Sweden? 

Lars. Yes, but I'm English now — like him. {Pointing 
to Henrik.) 

Ruth. That's right. We are all English now, from 
Canada to Florida. 

Henrik. Well, I think it's pretty nice to be English 
over here. 

Ruth {suddenly resuming her demure manner). Yes, 
verily it is. {She makes a little curtsey.) But father would 
look disapprovingly at my speaking to strangers on the 
street, so I must be on my way. {She curtsies again and 
then zvith her head held high goes off to the left.) 

Henrik {looking after her and sighing). She is pretty, 



AMERICA IN TPIE MAKING 11 

is she not? Well, maybe Philadelphia is bigger than New 
Amster — I mean, New York. 

Lars {also sighing heavily). Aren't you glad you live in 
this country, Henrik? 

{They go off to the right with hackzvard glances over 
their shoulders, to see if they can catch another glimpse of 
Ruth.) 

IVIary {rising from her seat at the left). Dear me, Ruth 
doesn't seem so slow as they would have us believe Phila- 
delphians are in these days. 

(Grace and John set the stage with the three chairs and 
tlie table.) 

Mary {coming to the front). Now we shall let more 
than a hundred years go by. The colonies have grown 
from small settlements to a strong country of two and a 
half million people. They are feeling quite independent 
and want to be represented in Parliament like any other 
part of England. Only the English king, George the Third, 
who is of foreign blood, won't let them. But I shall let 
the characters in this episode tell the story themselves. 
(Going to the left again.) Before they come on, how- 
ever, I must tell you that although these people look very 
much like the Priscilla and Jonathan, and Jane and Eliza- 
iK'th and Mandy, and Ruth and Henrik and Lars, you have 
already met, these people you will now see are the great 
.(^rand-sons and the great-granddaughters of the Priscilla 
and Jonathan, and Jane and Elizabeth and Mandy, and 
Ruth and Henrik and Lars you met before, for, as I said, 
n:ore than a hundred years have gone by. And this time 
they all meet together in the home of Quakeress Ruth in 
Philadelphia, and it is the evening of July 4, 1776. {She 
strikes the gavel. Quickly to the audience.) This is a 
beautiful drawing room, remember. 

Priscilla, Jonathan, Jane, Elizabeth, Ruth, Hen- 
rik and Lars, zvith Mandy, wide-eyed, hovering in the 
rear, come on. All are quite excited in their manner. 

Ruth {acting as hostess to Priscilla, Elizabeth and 
Jane). Sit down, I pray ye. 



12 AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

Elizabeth. Oh, I'm too excited to sit down. {She sits 
down, nevertheless, as do the others.) 

Jane. To think that weVe endured what we've endured ! 

Lars. England must think we have no rights. 

Jonathan. You do not mean England, Lars. The peo- 
ple of England are with us. It is only King George and his 
advisers who are opposed. 

Henrik. Yes, even part of ParHament is with us. Did 
not Burke, Pitt and Fox plead our cause with ringing 
speeches? It is England's foreign king alone who is our 
enemy. 

Mandy. Ah doan like dat King Geohge nohow. 

Priscilla (judiciously). Yes, I feel sure if King George 
were of English blood, he would know better than to play 
with the freedom of English men and women such as we 
are here in America. 

Ruth. Well, we will teach him a lesson such as he will 
never forget. 

Jonathan (walking back and forth). I wish we knew 
if the Congress has decided on our course of action. 

Priscilla. Oh, so do L And you know it is rumored 
that the deciding vote will be cast today. 

Ruth. Brother Russell promised to come to tell us as 
soon as the news was out. 

Jane. Oh, I hope he comes soon. It is so hard to wait. 

Mandy. Heah's Marse Russell now. 

Russell, dressed in a George Washington style of 
suit, comes on very much hurried. 

Russell. Friends, we have declared our independence ! 

(All clap their hands and exclaim in glee.) 

Jonathan (eagerly). You have read the document? 

Russell. I have heard it, but was not able to secure a 
copy to bring with me. However, it tells in plain words 
all our grievances against the King of England. And one 
sentence at the beginning was so important that I memo- 
rized it. Listen a moment and I will repeat it. (He stands 
in the midst of the group and repeats the words very dis- 
tinctly and very impressively.) This is it: "We hold these 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 13 

truths to be self-evident : that all men are created equal ; 
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain in- 
alienable rights ; that among these are life, liberty and the 
pursuit of happiness." 

Elizabeth {not too soon after). Oh, how wonderful! 

Jonathan (slozvly). Then this means that we are no 
longer subjects of King George the Third. 

Priscilla (solemnly). No, now we are Americans — a 
new nation of people. 

Henrik. Democracy is established. 

Lars (rolling up Jits sleeves). Alaybe the king will get 
mad and want to fight us now. 

Jonathan (determinedly). He'll find us ready! 

Girls. We'll help, too. 

Mandy. Oh, I heah's a bell a ringin'. 

All. The Liberty Bell! 

(They all rush out.) 

Mary (at the left. Solemnly). Thus was started the 
idea of democracy that was not only to become America's 
ideal, but that is now the ideal of every civilized nation. 

(At the front.) And now to this new nation of ours that 
had declared to the whole world these words : "We hold 
these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created 
equal ; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain 
inalienable rights ; that among these are life, liberty and 
the pursuit of happiness," people came from all lands. 
They came because they wanted these things which the 
Declaration of Independence had said we believed in, and 
they came because they wanted these things for their chil- 
dren. It is true some few people from all lands had come 
from the very first settlement of the colonies, and the Ger- 
mans, dissatisfied with their own land, and the Scotch- 
Irish, dissatisfied with the opportunities in Ireland and 
Scotland, had come in very large numbers. Then, after 
the Revolution was over, the old colonies became too 
crowded for all the people to live along the Atlantic, and 
so they started to move over the Appalachian Mountains 



14 AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

into Kentucky and Tennessee, and bit by bit they settled 
the country as far as. the Mississippi River. 

(In the meantime Grace and John have removed the 
chairs and table and placed the ''rocks" near the right en- 
trance, so as to suggest that the ground is hilly there, with 
a plain towards tJic left.) 

Mary (going over to the left). This is a scene somewhere 
in Kentucky. You notice it is hilly at one side there, with a 
plain sloping off to the west. And first you shall meet 
Gretchen and Kathleen, and later two young pioneers by 
the names of Daniel and Roger. 

She knocks zvith the gavel and Gretchen and Kath- 
leen come in. They are dressed in simple dark calico 
working dresses with their sleeves rolled up. They carry a 
heavy basket of clothes between them. 

Gretchen. Let's sit down here a minute. 

Kathleen. Indade, an' I'm glad to do that. My arms 
be all tired. 

Gretchen. Well, we won't have to be doing our wash- 
ing in the stream much longer. 

Kathleen. No, now praise to the saints, whin the 
plantin' is done the min folks will be about diggin' the 
wells. 

Gretchen (zvith a sigh). Think how much work that 
will save us. 

Kathleen. Arrah, yes. And the backache. Settlin' a 
new country has its difficulties for the women as well as 
the min folks, I'm a thinkin'. 

Gretchen. Just the same, aren't you glad you're here? 
It's hard work, but I love it — the touch of the fresh plowed 
earth, the woods, the flowers, the sunrise in the morning, 
the sunset in the evening — 

Kathleen. Yes — and no policemin where you go, 

Gretchen. Well, anyway, I'm glad we left the old 
country and came here. 

Kathleen. If we could only stay here, but father's al- 
ready talkin' about movin'. 

Gretchen. The Boones have just gone on ahead. 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 15 

Kathleen. And we'll be followin' after. 

Gretchen. I wonder where those two boys are that 
we saw this morning leave the rest of the party and go off 
by themselves. 

Kathleen. They must have sint them off to hunt. 

(A zvhistle is heard off stage.) 

Gretchen (in alarm). Oh, hide, Kathleen, those might 
be Indians. 

Kathleen. A bad day for us. Oh, what will we do 
with the basket? 

Gretchen. Here, behind the stones. Quick. 

They pull the basket behind a "rock" and then both 
girls drop flat on the ground, each beside another 'Wockf 
They have hardly done so before 'Daniel and Roger come 
on. Daniel and Roger are in trapper's hunting costume 
and have full hunting bags flung over their shoulders, and 
they carry old-fashioned muskets. As soon as the girls see 
who they are they jump up. 

Kathleen {in great relief). White min! 

Gretchen {ashamed). What kind of settlers are we? 
We know that Indians don't whistle ! 

Daniel. Why, were you afraid? 

Kathleen. We thought you might be Indians. 

Roger. Not many of them left here, are there? 

Gretchen. No. But then you never can be sure but 
some might come. 

Roger. You never can be too careful in a new country. 
But you needn't be afraid of us. We belong to the Boone 
party and have been out hunting. 

Kathleen. You are going west again? 

Daniel. Oh, yes, it's getting too crowded for us here. 

Gretchen and Kathleen {looking at each other, simul- 
taneously). Too crowded ! 

Roger {laughing) . The girls don't know what you mean, 
Daniel. 

Daniel. Well, you see as soon as the fields get planted, 
and wells dug, and good, solid houses built, and the people 
act as though they were both going to live and die there, 



16 AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

then a country gets too crowded for us. We want to go 
where no white man has Hved before to make the way safe 
for them to come, and then when they have caught up to 
us, we move on again. 

Gretchen. Ah, you are pioneers and we are settlers. 

Kathleen. I suppose when you have found another 
place, then father will be a wantin' to go, too. 

Roger. It gets in the blood, this new western country, 
doesn't it? 

Daniel. But we must be moving on. The sun Is get- 
ting low. Did you see if our party went through this way? 

Gretchen. Yes, they went on past our clearings. 

Roger. Then we can go on together, for we must reach 
them before nightfall. 

Daniel. Here, Roger, let's carry the basket for the 
girls. 

{They take up the basket, and, laughing and chatting, 
they all go off at the left.) 

Mary (at the front). These were the beginners of that 
settlement of the land which was to mean that the whole 
territory from coast to coast became a part of the United 
States. But things in Europe grew worse and worse ; there 
were revolutions of some sort in almost every land, or else 
there were hard times, and the people, hearing of the free- 
dom of America, and the chance for a better living that it 
gave them, came, not by the thousands as they had done be- 
fore, but by the hundreds of thousands. The new steam- 
ships made it easy for them to cross the ocean. Then people 
heard that gold was to be found in California; thither 
streamed a multitude, and gradually the railroads were 
built, and the whole country between the Mississippi and 
the Pacific was settled. We were glad all these newcomers 
came, for they brought with them strength and youth and 
willingness to work, and it has been much through their 
help that our country is so big and strong as it is. They 
have helped to dig the mines, and cut the forests, and build 
the railroads, and make the cities ; and more than this, they 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 17 

brought with them the learning and the art of the old world, 
and all — labor and genius — they gave to this new land. 

{Going to the left.) We must show you these very 
quickly. Many stayed in the east, as you know, but more 
moved west, and these are the ones we shall show. 

She strikes zvith the gavel, and the immigrants, both 
boys and girls, come in slowly and with eager, rapt faces. 
Some carry picks, shovels, scythes, bundles, books, artists' 
portfolios, musical instruments, etc. The English, French, 
Scotch, Norwegians, Danes, Belgians lead, and are fol- 
lowed by the Italians and Spaniards, and lastly the Poles, 
Austrians, Hungarians, Serbians, Greeks, Turks, Russians 
and Syrians (the latter with a satchel of things for sale). 
They pretend to use their various instruments, but all move 
slozvly to the left and out. The Syrian, zvith much gesticu- 
lation, tries to sell out of his satchel to the Russian. From 
the left, a Japanese and a Chinese, carrying a pruning hook 
and a laundry bag, may come in, hover about a bit and then 
go out again. And all the zvhile they chant raptly over and 
over, ''America, zve come to thee, land of the free." The 
chant may be szvelled by a chorus off stage. This scene 
should be made human and impressive. If the number of 
actors is limited, or the stage is very small, then only one 
representative of the most important nations need be por- 
trayed. 

Mary {from the left). Earnest and hopeful and eager, 
were they not? The best from every land. How the old 
countries must have hated to see them go ! 

{At the front.) Friends, then in 1914 a terrible calam- 
ity, the Great War, burst over the whole world. We 
in • America were astounded at first that there could 
still be left any place in the world such a strong be- 
lief in the rule of an emperor as the enemy held. But 
finally, in 1917, we concluded that we, too, must do our 
share in fighting for the world's democracy and the right 
of all peoples to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, 
as they themselves chose to make it. Our declaration of 
war found us a united people. The early comers and the 



18 AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

late comers were all American and all willing to give their 
lives and service for securing that freedom to the whole 
world that they had come here to enjoy themselves. Every 
one was glad to help. And we, whose years were too few 
to be sent across the seas, did our part here at home. Let 
us show you that help now. 

She strikes zmth the gavel. If there is a company oi 
Boy Scouts available, then have them come on with a drill. 
to be follozued by a drill of Red Cross girls, and a drill of 
War Garden boys and girls. Then, zvhen the last is done, 
all may march across the stage in a triumphal procession. 

If this number of players cannot be secured, then have 
the follozving scene take place. Grace and John place a 
table and a chair diagonally near the left zvall and fairly 
close to the front. 

Mary (from the left.) The players in this scene will be 
war gardeners, David and Lucy, Boy Scout Frank, and Red 
Cross Helper Edith. Please imagine that the back of the 
stage is a war garden, and the space around Red Cross 
Helper Edith's table is a porch overlooking the war garden. 

She strikes zvith the gavel and Edith comes in from 
the right with a pile of bandages, zvhich she proceeds to 
roll very efficiently at the table. David and Lucy, with 
their hoes and rakes, pretend to garden busily at the back. 
Frank comes in at a run, holding the envelope in his hand. 

Edith {looking up. Lucy and David also look around.) 
Messenger service today, Frank ? 

Frank (slozving up just a second). Yes — headquarters. 
(He runs off.) 

Lucy. Those Boy Scouts keep themselves busy, don't 
they? They surely are doing their share to win the war. 

Edith. Well, you war gardeners are doing your bit, 
too. You are in the gardens from sunrise until it's too dark 
to tell a weed from a food plant. 

David. How about you Red Cross people? The way 
you stick to it, it looks as though you would have bandages 
enough for every man in the world. 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 19 

Edith. And still we haven't so many as are needed. 
We can't any of us work fast enough or hard enough, can 
we? (They all zvork busily again.) 

Frank (coming back at a half run, stops beside Edith's 
table and addresses all three). I have a message for you 
people this time. There is to be a big meeting at headquar- 
ters and all you war workers are expected to come. 

Lucy, Edith and David. When? 

Frank. Right now. Stop everything and come. 

(All rush out to the left and Grace and John remove 
the table and chair.) 

Mary (at the front). Now, friends, you have seen how 
our country has been built by the daring and the courage- 
ous and the freedom-loving of all lands, and how truly they 
were one and stood together when the great test came. Our 
country has meant freedom and service, as we have shown ; 
it also means more to us than these. It means happiness 
and joy, for instance. Let us express that to you now. 

She strikes with the gavel and a dancing group in bright 
colors, and to joyous strains of music, perform. They may 
also sing. Note : If the number of players is limited, a 
duet dance may be given for this episode. When they are 
done they go out. 

Mary (from the left). And our country also means for 
us opportunity. With our splendid schools and colleges, 
any one who will can always rise a step higher. There is 
education and opportunity for every one in this wonder- 
ful land of ours. 

(Grace and John place the table and a chair in the cen- 
ter of the stage, and a chair farther back, and to the right.) 

Mary (strikes zvith the gavel. Quickly). The first 
character is known as Gutter Tom and the second is Op- 
portunity. 

(Gutter Tom comes in from the right in a cringing, 
half-afraid attitude. He wears a ragged coat and cap. 
Shying azvay from the table and chair, he sits dozvn on the 
floor to play zvith marbles. In a moment Opportunity 



20 AMERICA IN THE MAKING 

comes in. He is dressed in a collegiate gown and cap, zvith 
a band on tvhich the zvord ''Opportunity'' is printed, across 
the front. He carries a hook, a tablet and pencil and 
Tom's nezv coat, folded zvith a cap inside it, over his arm.) 

Opportunity (on seeing Tom). Why, hello, boy, don't 
you want to do something better than that? 

Tom. There ain't nothin' better for me to do. 

Opportunity (placing book, tablet and pencil on the 
table and drazving out the chair invitingly) . Nothing bet- 
ter? Why, here's a school waiting for you. All you need 
to do is to come and learn. 

Tom (standing up eagerly and then in dejection looking 
dozvn at his clothes). But these clothes ain't fit! 

Opportunity. Opportunity looks not at your clothes, 
but at the stuff of which you are made. However, here 
is a coat for you that you may establish your self-respect 
before the world. (Tom changes his coat and hangs his 
nezu cap on the back of his chair and goes to the table.) 
Let me know when you are ready. 

(Tom applies himself industriously at the table and Op- 
portunity seats himself on the other chair.) 

Tom (after a moment, looking up). You are waiting? 

Opportunity. I always wait for those who want me. 

Tom (getting up). I am ready. And now I would go 
out in the world to make my way. 

Opportunity (rising and pointing tozvards the left). 
The world lies before you. Choose which you will — in- 
dustry, commerce, the professions, the arts, even the presi- 
dency of this great country. If you seek that which you 
choose hard enough and long enough, you shall attain it. 
But remember always that honesty, truth and purity are 
your best helps on the way. Go. 

Tom (zvistfidly) . But you will come with me? 

Opportunity. I always go with him who wants me. 

(Both go out to the right. Grace and John remove the 
chairs and the table and Tom's old coat and cap.) 

Mary (coming to the front). And now, friends, finally 
our country means to us loyalty, and that loyalty is sym- 



AMERICA IN THE MAKING 21 

bolized to us in the flag. We have all helped build that 
flag, from the earliest comers to the latest, and everything 
that we do or think makes the spirit of it. Let us show 
you this. 

{To a patriotic march, all the actors come on in the order 
of their appearance, marching first down to the front, and 
then around the stage, and at the hack they form in twos, 
then march around again in two columns, and as they come 
down the center the second time, they form in fours, with 
a space betzveen the tzvo couples, the first ones marking 
time at the hack zvhile the next line stands in front of them, 
and so on, so that the earliest comers are at the hack of 
the stage, and the two dancing figures and the tzvo Oppor- 
tunity figures are in the first line. If a large numher of 
Boy Scouts, Red Cross girls. War Garden girls and hoys, 
and dancers are in the play, then these should he repre- 
sented by only one character in the group, the others march- 
ing in in units, and being placed in triangidar formations 
at the flanks of the ^nain line. Mary, at the left, and 
Grace and John, at the right, take their places near the 
front and half face the m^in line. At a signal the center 
aisle in the main column steps apart, and the two color bear- 
ers, dressed as Liberty and Uncle Sam, come in zmth 
slow, measured tread from the right, hearing the flag in 
horizontal position. They march dozvn the center aisle and 
each line in the column stands at salute as the flag passes 
by, and simultaneously the rear lines close in, so that the 
column is in triangular formation as the color hearers step 
a pace in front of the flrst line. Then slozvly they raise 
the flag to an upright position, and as soon as it is upright, 
all on the stage repeat solemnly the Salute to the Flag : 
'7 pledge allegiance to the American flag and to the republic 
for zvhich it stands — one nation, indivisble — zvith liberty 
and justice for all." Then the opening bars of the Star- 
Spangled Banner are struck, and all still stand at attention 
as the curtain drops.) 

Curtain. 



Mrs. Tubbs Does Her Bit 

By WALTER BEN HARE 

Price, 25 Cents 

Patriotic comedy-drama, in 3 acts; 7 males, 7 females (4 are 
children, 2 boys, 2 girls). Time, 2i/4 hours. Scenes: Interior and 
a camp at midnight, very easily arranged. Characters: Mrs. 
Mollie Tubbs, a patriotic motlaer. Aunt Serepty, a wealtliy rela- 
tive. Clingie Vine, a romantic old maid. Mrs. Hickey, a kind 
neighbor. Elsie, a Red Cross nurse. James Tubbs, one of Uncle 
Sam's boys. Simon Rubbels, the close-fisted landlord. Major Pep- 
per, commander of the camp. Nelson and Graham, privates. 
Queenie Tubbs, aged eleven. Scuffles, aged ten. Billy, a little 
feller. Punky, the Tubbs toddler. A refined and delightful play 
featuring a woman's patriotism. Tlie story is intensely dramatic 
and abounds in patriotic sentiment, relieved by several scenes of 
broad but refined comedy. Mrs. Tubbs gives her son to her coun- 
try and does her bit when she takes his place as sentry at the 
training camp at midnight. A Red Cross nurse lends a romantic 
touch to the play and a funny old maid and two mischievous 
children furnish the comedy. The audience will love this poor 
widow washwoman of Shantytown, who at the darkest moment 
has a ready smile and a song of cheer in her heart. 

MRS. TUBBS SAYS: 

"A song and a smile makes life worth while. 

Eggs has riz sump'm scand'lous. How do the hens know 
there's a war over in Europe? 

Some folks 'ud rather grunt than smile; I ain't never heard 
a hog laugh yet, but they certainly can grunt. 

I know that if I had ten sons, I'd give each one of 'em to my 
country and be proud to say, 'America, here's my boy!' 

I ain't never received nothin' yet from my rich relations except 
advice and picture post-cards and I ain't goin' to ask 'em now. 

I ain't much, I know that, I'm only a poor widow washwoman 
livin' in the slums of Shantytown, but I'm an American and I'll 
stand up fer my country and my flag. 

Maybe Simon Rubbels ain't as bad as he's painted, but there 
ain't no angel wings a-sproutin' out of his shoulders and I've no- 
ticed that his breath smells a heap more like brimstone than it 
does like angel cake. 

I've made up my mind and when Mollie Tubbs makes up her 
mind the hull United States army and navy to boot can't unmake 
it. Gimme that rifle! I'm doing my bit fer humanity and my 
native land. 

If every black cloud had a cyclone in it. the world 'ud a been 
blowed to toothpicks long ago. 

And quit lookin' like a undertaker! 

It's the little things in life that count. Scuffles. The little 
things. Why you might have a di'mond ring on your finger and 
a gold watch in your pocket, but if you only got one suspender 
button and that busts, then where are you? 

Hand to hand, foot to foot, shoulder to shoulder they march, 
the rich and the poor, the high and the low. the coflege man and 
the day laborer, the millionaire and the tramp, the white and 
the black, with one idea in their minds, one purpose in their 
hearts, one voice in their ears, a voice that says 'Carry on, and 
on, and on, forward for God and home and The Star-Spangled 
Banner!' " 

T. S. DENISON & COMPANY, Publishers 

154 W. Randolph Street, CHICAGO 



Safety First 



By SHELDON PARMER 

Price, 25 Cents 

Farce-comedy, in 3 acts; 5 males, 5 females. Time, 2^/4 hours. 
Scenes: A parlor and a garden, easily arranged. A sprightly 
farce full of action and with a unique plot teeming with unex- 
pected turns and twists tliat will make the audience wonder "what 
on earth is coming next." Behind the fun and movement lurks 
a great moral: Always tell the truth to your wife. The cast 
includes three young men, a funny policeman, a terrible Turk, 
two young ladies, a society matron, a Turkish maiden and Mary 
O'Finnigan, the Irish cook. The antics of the terror-stricken 
husband, the policeman, the dude and the Irish cook start the 
audience smiling at 8:15 and send them home with aching sides 
from the tornado of fun at 10:40. Suitable for performance any- 
where, but recommended for lodges, clubs and schools. Not a 
coarse or suggestive line in the play. 

SYNOPSIS 

Act I. — Jack's lil suburban home. A misplaced husband. "He 
kissed me good-bye at eighteen minutes after seven last night, 
and I haven't laid eyes on him since." The Irish maid is full 
of sympathy but she imagines a crime has been committed. 
Elmer, the college boy, drops in. And the terrible Turk drops 
out. "Sure the boss has eloped wid a Turkey!" Jerry and Jack 
come home after a horrible night. Explanations. "We joined the 
Shriners, I'm the Exalted Imported Woggle and Jack is the Ba- 
zook!" A detective on the trail. Warrants for John Doe, Richard 
Roe and Mary Moe. "We're on our way to Florida!" 

Act II. — A month later. Jack and Jerry reported drowned at 
sea. The Terrible Turk looking for Zuleika. The return of the 
prodigals. Ghosts! Some tall explanations are in order. "I never 
was drowned in all my life, was I, Jerry?" "We were lashed to 
a mast and we floated and floated and floated!" A couple of 
heroes. The Terrible Turk hunting for Jack and Jerry. "A Turk 
never injures an insane man." Jack feigns insanity. "We are 
leaving this roof forever!" The end of a perfect day. 

Act III. — Mrs. Bridger's garden. Elmer and Zuleika start on 
their honeymoon. Mabel forgives Jack, but her mamma does not. 
They decide to elope. Jerry's scheme works. The two McNutts. 
"Me middle name is George Washington, and I cannot tell a 
lie." The detective falls in the well. "It's his ghost!" Jack and 
Jerry preparing for the elopement. Mary Ann appears at the 
■ top of the ladder. A slight mistake. "It's a burglar, mum, I've 
got him!" The Terrible Turk finds his Zuleika. Happiness at last. 

Foiled. By Heck! 

By FREDERICK G. JOHNSON 

Price, 25 Cents 

A truly rural drama, in 1 scene and several dastardly acts; 
3 males, 3 females. Time, 35 minutes. Scene: The mortgaged 
home of the homespun drama, between sunup and sundown. 
Characters: Reuben, a nearly self-made man. His wife, who 
did the rest. Their perfectly lovely daughter. Clarence, a rustic 
hero, by ginger! Olivia, the plaything of fate, poor girl. Syl- 
vester, with a viper's heart. Curses! Curses! Already he has 
the papers. A screaming travesty on the old-time "b'gosh" drama. 

T. S. DENISON & COMPANY, Publishers 

154 W. Randolph Street, CHICAGO 



The Call of the Colors 

By LINDSEY BARBEE 

Price, 25 Cents 

A patriotic play in 2 acts; 4 males, 10 females. Time, IVz 
hours. Scenes: 2 interiors, easily arranged. In act one a Red 
Cross gauze room is shown. A true-to-life picture; the awkward 
worker reprimanded for going a sixteenth of an incli too far; 
the suspicion of spies in tlie room; the girls' opinion of slackers; 
their hero. Sergeant Hilton, back from "over there"; his mys- 
terious little black book and the joy when Harrison dons the 
khaki. Tense interest, lightened by comedy. In act two tlie scene 
is transported to a French chateau near the firing line. A plucky 
girl unmasks a spy and saves a repository of ammunition from 
bombardment. Military enthusiasm, mysterious intrigue and a 
war-time love story — truly a combination symbolic of the days 
in which we live. A French peasant girl, an excellent part. 

SYNOPSIS 

Act. I. — The Red Cross gauze room has various visitors. Ser- 
geant Hilton proves the chief topic of conversation and the strange 
Miss Smith is cordially welcomed. Harrison Ray is declared a 
slacker — and Sergeant Hilton's little black book causes much spec- 
ulation. Miriam maizes an announcement; Harrison offers an ex- 
planation — and the boys go marching by! 

Act II. — Sergeant Hilton renews his acquaintance with Miriam 
and learns of the ammunition hidden in the village. The Germans 
arrive. The Sergeant loses his little black book — and Vilette brings 
news of the enemy. Miss Smith finds the book and sends a mes- 
sage. By means of the secret telephone, Cecile communicates 
with the other chateau — and the firing begins. Sergeant Hilton 
returns — in another role; a bugle sounds and the Stars and Stripes 
go floating by. The Sergeant, taken unawares, faces a revolver. 
Harrison Ray tells his story; the mystery is solved and the day 
is saved ! 



Lottie Sees It Through 

By RAGNA B. ESKIL 

Price, 15 Cents 

Patriotic playlet; 3 males, 4 females. Time, 35 minutes. Scene: 
A scantily furnished living room. This timely play should induce 
any community to give liberally. Written for the Red Cross, 
but with the change of a few words it will plead for the Liberty 
Loan, the Y. M. C. A. fund or any other cause as worthy. Its 
action is based on the elemental question — can one refuse to 
give to his country and yet be at ease with his conscience? Still 
it is not a somber or dreary play — it has its light touches. It 
stirs the heart and its climax wiU arouse a fervor of patriotism 
only comparable to a religious revival. If unable to produce this 
play, get someone to read it as it cannot help but stimulate action. 



T. S. DENISON & COMPANY, Publishers 

154 W. Randolph Street, CHICAGO 



DENISON'S ACTING PLAYS 

Price 15 Cents Each, Postpaid, Unless Different Price Is Given 



6 
8 


13 

23 

3 


7 10 
6 4 


2 


4 
17 



Trial of Hearts, 4 acts, 2]4 hrs. 

(25c) 

Trip to Storyland, Hi lirs.{J:c) 
Uncle Josh, 4 acts, 2].^ hrs. (.25c) 
Under Blue Skies, 4 acts, 2 

hrs (25c) 

Under the Laurels, 5 acts, 2 hrs. 
Vv'inning Widow, 2 acts, V/z hrs. 

(25c) 

Women Who Did, 1 hr...(J5c) 
Yankee Detective, 3 acts, 2 hrs. 



FARCES, COMEDIETAS, Etc. 

All on a Summer's Day, 40 ruin. 4 6 

April Fools, 30 m!n 3 

Assessor, The, 10 min 3 2 

\unt Harriet's Night Out, 35 

min • 1 2 

Baby Show at Pineville, 20 min. 19 

Billy's Chorus Girl, 25 min... 2 3 

Billy's Mishap, 20 min 2 3 

Borrowed Luncheon, 20 min.. 5 

Borrowing Trouble, 20 min 3 5 

Case Against Casey, 40 min... 23 

Country Justice, 1 5 min 8 

Cow that Kicked Chicago, 20 m. 3 2 

Divided Attentions, 35 min... 1 4 

Family Strike, 20 min 3 3 

First-Class Hotel, 20 min 4 

For Love and Honor, 20 min.. 2 1 

Fudge and a Burglar, 15 min.. 5 

Fun in Photo Gallery, 30 min.. 6 10 

Getting Rid of Father, 20 min. 3 1 
Great Sledical Dispensary, 30 m. 6 
Great Pumpkin Case, 30 min.. 12 

Hans Von Smash, 30 min.... 4 3 
Initiating a Granger, 25 min., 8 

Irish Linen Peddler, 40 min... 3 3 

Kansas Immigrants, 20 min.!. 5 1 

Lottie Sees It Through, 35 min. 3 4 

Men Not Wanted, 30 min 8 

Mother Goose's Goslings, 30 m. 7 9 

Mrs. Jenkins' Brilliant Idea, 35m. 8 

Mrs. Stubbing' Book Agent^ 30 m. 3 2 

Not a Man in the House, 40 m. 5 

Pair of Lunatics, 20 min 1 1 

Patsy O'Wang, 35 min 4 3 

Pat, the Apothecary, 35 min.. 6 2 

Persecuted Dutchman, 30 min. 6 3 

Please Pass the Cream, 20 min. 1 1 

Second Childhood, 15 min.... 2 2 

Shadows, 35 min 2 2 

Sing a Song of Seniors, 30 min. 7 

Smith's Unlucky Day, 20 m n.. 1 1 

Taking Father's Place, 30 min. 5 3 

That Rascal Pat, 30 min 3 2 

Too Much of a Good Thing, 45 

min 3 6 

Turn Him Out, 35 min 3 2 

Two Aunts and a Photo, 20 m. 4 
Two Gent|emen in a Fix, 15 m. 2 

Two Ghosts in White, 20 min . . 8 



Two of a Kind, 40 min 2 3 

Uncle Dick's Mistake, 20 min.. 3 2 

Wanted a Correspondent, 45 m. 4 4 
Watcli, a Wallet, and a Jack of 

Spades,- 40 min 3 6 

The Whole Truth, 40 min 5 4 

Who's the Boss? 25 min : . 3 6 

Wide Enough for Two, 45 min. 5 2 

Wrorig Baby, 25 min 8 

VAUDEVILLE SKETCHES. MON- 
OLOGUES. ETHIOPIAN PLAYS. 



Amateur, 15 min 

At Harmony Junction, 20 min. 

Axin' Her Father, 25 min 

Booster Club of Blackville, 25 m. 
Breakfast Food for Two, 20 m. 

Cold Finish, 15 min 

Colored Honeymoon, 25 min... 
Coon Creek Courtship, 15 min. 
Coming Champion, 20 min .... 
Coontown Thirteen Club, 25 m. 
Counterfeit Bills, 20 min,:... 
Darktown Fire Brigade, 2.S min. 
Doings of a Dude, 20 min.... 

For Reform, 20 min 

Fresh Timothy Hay, 20 min.. 
Glickman, the Glazier, 25 min. 
Good Mornin' Judge, 35 min.. 

Her Hero, 20 min 

Hey, Rube ! 1 5 min 

Home Run, 15 min 

Hungry, 15 min 

Little Miss Enemy, 15 min.... 
Little Red School House, 20 m. 

Love and Lather, 35 min 

Marriage and After, 10 min.. 

Memohis Mose, 25 min 

Mischievous Nigger, 25 min.. 
Mr. and Mrs. Fido, 20 min. . . . 

Oh, Doctor! 30. min 

One Sweetheart for Two, 20 m. 

Oyster Stew, 10 min 

Pete Yansen's Gurl's Mcdcr, 10m. 

Pickles for Two, 15 min 

Si and I, 15 min 

Special Sale, 15 min 

Street Faker, 15 min 

Such Ignorance, 15 m n 

Sunny Son of Italy, 15 min.. 

Time Table, 20 min 

Tramp and the Actress, 20 min. 
Troubled by Ghosts, 10 min... 
Troubles of Rozinski, 15 min.. 
Two Jay Detectives, 15 min,. 

Umbrella Mender, 15 min 

What Happened to Hannah, 15m. 



1 1 
4 

2 3 
10 



1 1 



14 
1 1 



1 1 

9 2 

1 1 
1 

1 1 
2 

1 1 
4 

3 2 
1 

5 1 

4 2 
1 1 



2 

1 

" 1 

2 

3 

2 

1 

1 I 

1 1 



1 1 



A great number of 

Standard and Amateur Plays 

not found here are listed in 

Denison's Cataloeue 



T.S.DENISON&COMPANY,Publishers,154W. Randolph St.. Chicago 



POPULAR entertainu 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



016 215 166 6 



Price, Illustrated Paper Covers, 30 cents each 




TN this Series 
-■- are found 
books touching 
every feature 
in the enter- 
tainment field. 
Finely made, 
good paper, 
clear print and 
each book has 
an attractive 
individual cov- 
er design. ^ 



A Partial List 

DIALOGUES 

All Sorts of Dialogues. 

Selected, fine for older pupils. 
Catchy Comic Dialogues. 

Very clever; for young people. 
Children's Comic Dialogues. 

From six to eleven years of age 
Country School Dialogues. 

Brand new, original. 
Dialogues for District Schools. 

For country schools. 
Dialogues from Dickens. 

Thirteen selections. 
The Friday Afternoon Dialogues 

Over 50,000 copies sold. 
From Tots to Teens. 

Dialogues and recitations. 
Humorous Homespun Dialogues. 

For older ones. 
Little People's Plays. 

From 7 to 13 years of age. 
Lively Dialogues. 

For all ages; mostly humorous. 
Merry Little Dialogues. 

Thirty-eight original selections. 
When the Lessons are Over. 

Dialogues, drills, plavs. 
Wide Awake Dialogues. 

Original successful. 

SPEAKERS, MONOLOGUES 

Choice Pieces for Little People. 

A child's speaker. 
The Cornic Entertainer. 

Recitations, monologues, dialogues 
Dialect Readings. 

Irish, Dutch, Negro, Scotch, etc. 
The Favorite Speaker. 

Choice prose and poetrv. 
The Friday Afternoon Speaker. 

For pupils of all ages. 
Humorous Monologues. 

Particularly for ladies. 
Monologues for Young Folks. 

Clever, humorous, original. 



Monologues Grave and Gay. 

Dramatic and humorous. 
Scrap. Book Recitations, 

Choice collections, pathetic, hu- 
morous, descriptive, prose, 
poetry. 15 Nos,, per No. 30c 

DRILLS 

The Best Drill Book. 

Very popular drills and marches. 
The Favorite Book of Drills. 

Drills that sparkle with originality 
Little Plays With Drills. 

For children from 6 to 11 years 
The Surprise Drill Book. 

Fresh, novel, drills and marches, 

SPECIALTIES 

The Boys' Entertainer. 

Monologues, dialogues, drills. 
Children's Party Book. 

Invitations, decorations, games. 
The Days We Celebrate. 

Entertainments for all the holidays. 
Good Things for Christmas. 

Recitations, dialogues, drills 
Good Things for Sunday Schools. 

Dialogues, exercises, recitations. 
Good Things for Thanksgiving. 

A gem of a book. 
Good Things for Washington 

and Lincoln Birthdays. 
Little Folks' Budget. 

Easy pieces to sjieak, songs. 
One Hundred Entertainments. 

hew parlor diversions, socials. 
Patriotic Celebrations. 

Great variety, of material. 
Pictured Readings and Tableaux. 

Entirely original features. 
Pranks and Pastimes. 

Parlor games for children. 
Private Theatricals. 

How to put on plays 
Shadow Pictures, Pantomimes, 

Charades, and how to prepare. 
Tableaux and Scenic Readings. 

JNew and novel; for all ages. 
Twinkling Fingers and Sway- 
^, ing Figures. For little tots. 
Yu'etide Entertainments. 

A choice Christmas collection. 

MINSTRELS, JOKES 

Black-Face Joker. " 

Minstrels' and end men's gags. 
A Bundle of Burnt Cork Comedy. 

Mq/nologues, stump speeches, .etc. 
Laughland,via the Ha-Ha Route. 

A merry trip for fun tourists. 
Negro Minstrels. 

All about the business. 
The New Jolly Jester. 

Funny stories, jokes, gags, etc. 

Large Illustrated Catalogue Free 



T.S. DENISON & COMPANY, Publlshers,154W. Randolph St., Chicago 



